The Cleveland Browns’ search for a new head coach looks to be entering its final stages. However, it may take just a little bit longer.
With some candidates having taken jobs elsewhere, the Browns are moving forward with a round of second interviews that will likely lead to a decision. That includes one of the most intriguing contenders, Grant Udinski.
According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, buzz is building around the Browns’ head coaching candidate, and the interest in Udinski “is real.”
“Browns hosting Jaguars OC Grant Udinski today in Cleveland. Interest in Udinski is real. The expectation as of now is Cleveland goes into next week with the search and definitely wants to speak with Rams assistant Nate Scheelhaase. But Udinski has his chance to impress in-person,” Fowler wrote on X.
Browns hosting Jaguars OC Grant Udinski today in Cleveland. Interest in Udinski is real. The expectation as of now is Cleveland goes into next week with the search and definitely wants to speak with Rams assistant Nate Scheelhaase. But Udinski has his chance to impress in-person.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) January 23, 2026
Udinski is coming off his first season as the Jacksonville Jaguars’ offensive coordinator. Working under new head coach Liam Coen, he helped quarterback Trevor Lawrence become a finalist for the NFL MVP award.
Having just turned 30 years old this month, Udinski would be the youngest head coach in modern NFL history if hired. Sean McVay was less than two weeks from turning 31 years old when he was hired by the Los Angeles Rams in 2017.
That is not the only thing that makes Udinski unique. He was a defensive player in college and reportedly briefly lived in his car to start his coaching career at Baylor. After just one season, he moved right into the NFL, with stops with the Carolina Panthers and Minnesota Vikings before his season with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Browns are also considering another potential rising star in Scheelhaase, the 35-year-old passing game coordinator for McVay and the Rams. With Los Angeles about to play the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game, his second interview will be put off until after that contest.
The other reported finalists are current Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Each of those men is approaching 60 years old, so they are quite a contrast to the other two competitors.
The Browns are likely hoping that Schwartz will stay on if any of the other candidates are given the top job instead. That would ensure some continuity on defense, which has been the strength of the team under his guidance over the past three seasons.
If willing, he could also provide a good sounding board and mentor for Udinski as a first-time NFL head coach.
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